NATO is a sticky situation with the Russians. The one thing the Russians fear more than anything else is encirclement, so any organization of potentially hostil

NATO is a sticky situation with the Russians. The one thing the Russians fear more than anything else is encirclement, so any organization of potentially hostile nations is immediately looked upon with suspicion. Also, they're still sore that some negotiators in 1990 promised more on NATO than the USA was willing to deliver. This is oft-repeated in the upper circles of the Kremlin, and regardless of its validity it's still a strong sentiment.